U.S. Pols Wary Of In-Flight Cell Phone Use

Members of Congress are making the case that cell phone calls on airplanes can be both unsafe and annoying and should be permanently banned.

The House Transportation committee today approved a measure to do that by voice vote, after members traded horror stories about their own worst in-flight experiences.

One lawmaker said his wife sat next to a woman who loudly discussed her sex life on the phone.

Another told of a passenger sitting behind him who got a call just before take-off from either his wife or girlfriend who apparently wanted to end the relationship. He said the man's begging and pleading was terrible to hear and a flight attendant finally had to threaten to have U.S. Marshals put the man off the plane to get him to put the phone away.

The committee's action comes as the European Union is moving in the other direction, allowing airline passengers to talk on their cell phones during flight.